Picture-exhibiting easel



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(No Mode1.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. J. D. RICHARDS.

PICTURE EXHIBITING BASEL. No. 310,319'. Paten-ted Jan. 6, 1885.

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J. DUDLEY RICHARDS, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

PICTURE-EXHIBITING. ASEL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 310,319, dated January 6, 1885.

Application filed December 3], 1883. (No model.)

To aZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, J. DUDLEY RICHARDS, of Boston, county of Suifolk, State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Picture-Exhibiting Easels, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a spcciiication, like letters on the drawings representing like parts.

My invention has for its object the production of an easel especially adapted for the exhibition ot' pictures, the easel having a number of parts which by change of position enables one part after another to be utilized according to the desire of the party using the same, and the size of the pictures to be ex'- hibited.

Hy invention consists in an easel, substantially as hereinafter described, and specified in the claims.

Figure l, in side elevation, represents in full lines one of my improved easels fully extended, the dotted lines showing the easel closed or shut up, and Fig. 2 is an elevation of Fig. l, looking at it i'roin the right, but with the parts folded up.

As herein shown, the main part ofthe easel is composed of suitable side pieces, A B C, connected in pairs, the pieces A being extended upward and inclined forward from a base, D, aud being connected at or near the middle of their length with the pieces l; by braces E, the pieces O serving as braces for Ithe pieces A. The pieces B and C have their lower ends connected with the base D. The

main part ot' the easel so far described, are joined in pairs with like pieces at the opposite side thereof by the shelf G, which resembles a chair-seat, and by the base D, and at their upper ends the pieces A are connected by the cross-piece H. The part Gand crosspiece H serve to support a narrow bar, a, having an attached guide-loop, a', and a clamp, a2, composed of two arms, 2, pivoted thereon, and holding between them a roller, 8, preferably of india-rubber. An adjustable picture holder, c, having a hook or other suitableengaging device, 4, is passed down through the clamp c, while the latter is elevated or its arms 2 are substantially at right angles to the bar a., and thence through the guide -loop a, and with the clamp so held the holder a may be readily raised or lowered to adapt the position of the hook 4 to the top of lthe picture b, Fig. l, the lower end of which rests on the bracket b2, then turned down, as in full lines, the said bracket being composed oi' two arms suitably connected together and pivoted at 5, so as to be turned up, asin dotted lines, Fig. l, when not in use. The holder c3 having been raised to substantially the point where it is to be retained, the clamp a2 is permitted to drop and the holder is permitted to settle between the roller 2 and the bar u, thus enabling the said clamp to act and retain the holder. The picture I), held as described, is inclined forward at its top, just as if it were hung upon a wall, whereas in all other easels known to me, :if the top of the picture is firmly attached to the easel, the said picture is always either upright or inclined backward at the top, thus presenting it to the light differently than when hung on the wall. Under the shelf or rest G is a foot, d, having a rest, d', connected therewith by hinges d. Pictures with one edge ou the shelf G will be inclined to the right or backward viewing, Fig. l, and rest against the pieces A. W'hen the rest d is turned up, as in full lines, it will l aid in holding such pictures as are supported on the table M,to be described, and when not .to be used may be slid under the seat G and be held there in any suitable manner. etween the two sets of side pieces, A 13 C, below the seat G, is a table, M, it having its base m, as herein shown, shouldered to slide on guides ofthe base D, (seeFig. 2,) and preferably this table will be provided with suitable rollers, as will also be the base D. The table M (shown` drawn out in Fig. l) has a connected step, N, herein shown as pivoted to it at n, which may be made to occupy the fullline position, Fig. l, to hold pictures, or be contained within the table, as shown by dotted lines, when not in use. The table M is provided with a rest, o3, composed of a horizontal bar and two bars, o, fitted to slide in guides 02. Vith the parts as in full lines, Fig. 1, pictures standing on the top of the table M may be leaned against the rest d or against the rest o, as desired, the said part-s cooperating to form a portfoliostand. The easel may be made of any desired size, height, width, or breadth, or of any desired material,

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y may be reversed or turned half-way around,

and other pictures may be successively placed upon the shelf G, table M` and step N, and exhibited as long as desired.

I claiml. In an easel, the supporting-frame provided with the ferwardly-inclined pieces A,

the bar a, arranged between the pieces A aud substantially parallel therewith, combined with a loose pictifre-holdin g bar provided with `a picture-engaging device, a clamp-plate secured in xed positiononthe bar a, and having a clamp pivoted thereto, adapted to be pivotally moved over the face of the bar a, and to automatically bite and retain the pictureholding bar in desired position ou said bai` n, and a rest to support the lower edge ot' the pie` ture and enable the upper end to be tipped forward, substantially as set forth.

2. In an easel,th.e bar a, provided with a fixed clamp plate having a clamp pivotcd thereto, and adapted to be pivotally moved over the face of the said bar, as speciiied, combined with au independent bar or picture-holder having a picture-engagi ng device, and adapted to be passed between the clamp and the face of the bar fc, so as to be automatically retained ou said bar, substantially as described.

3. In an easel, the bar a, provided with a retaining-loop, and a fixed clamp-plate having a clamp pivoted tl1ereto,aud adapted to be pivotally moved over the l'ace of the said bar, as

speciiied, combined with an independent bar or picture-holder having a picture-engaging device, and adapted to be passed betweeuthe clamp and the face of the bar a, so as to be automaticallyretained ou said bar, substantially as described.

4. The main part oll the easel, composed ol.' the connected side pieces and the seat G,cciubined with the sliding table M, substantially as described.

5. The connected side pieces ofthe easel and means to hold a picture inclined forwardly, combined with a horizontally-sliding table, M, and rest o, constituting a pori'olio-staud, substantially as described.

G. rllhe main part of the easel, composed ol' tlie'connected side pieces, and the seat G, and

the sliding table M, combined with the rest d', substantially as described.

7. The main part of the easel, composed ol' the connected side pieces and the seat G, the sliding table M, an d the rest d, combined with the slide and bar o, substantially as set forth.

S. The main part of the easel, composed ol' the parts A B C, and the seat (l, and the sliding` table M, and the rest d', and the slide o, and bar o, combined with the step N, substan tially as shown and described. p

9. rPhe herein-described easel, composed of the main parts A B G (i aud base D, a sliding table, MI, rests d and L, aud sliyde and bar o o?, all substantially as described.

In testimony whereof l have signed my .name to this specification in theprcscnceol' two subscribing witnesses.

J. Dl iDLlGY l IGH Rits.

Witnesses: 

